Automatic can-top-feeding mechanism



Aug. 26 a 1924. 1,505,100

R. 0. ILSON ET AL AUTOMATIC CAN TOP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 26, 192! 3 Sheets-Sheet. l

Aug. 26 1924. 1,596,100

R. 0. WILSON ET AL AUTOMATIC CAN TOP FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 26. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 2%, 1924.

UNIT STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAY O. WILSGN AND ARTHUR D. SUMNER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS Z6 FGRTY-NINE ONE-HUNDEEDTHS TO FRANKLIN F. ST-ETSON, OF LOS ANGELES,

CALIFQYRNIA.

AUTOMATIC CAN-TOP-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Application filed January 26, 1921. Serial No. 440,217.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, RAY 0. WILSON and ARTHUR D. SUMNER, citizens of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Can-Top-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a mechanism for ejecting can ends in can-capping machinery, and particularly pertains to a can controlled cap teed.

An object of this invention is to provide a means for converting continuous oscillating motion into intermittent oscillating motion which is especially applicable for use in can heading machinery in automatically feeding can caps to the can bodies in double seaming operations; and a purpose of this invention is to provide a cap-feed which is positive, dependable, and capable of being operated at high speed.

Another obj ect is to provide a mechanism of the above character embodying a normally stationary rock-able cap-feed member and a continuously operable oscillatory drive member, with means for effecting positive connection between the members to actuate the rockable member and which connection is adapted to be made during the movement of the driving oscillatory member in one direction and to be automatically thrown out on the termination of reverse movement of the members.

Another object is to provide a construction whereby the oscillatory driving member may normally have free movement relative to the. stationary cap-teed member when out of engagement therewith, and to provide a catch controlled means for engaging the members which can operate only on release of the catch.

further object is to provide a means for insuring proper positioning of the drive and driven members relative to each other, and preventing them from getting out of time in event of premature or delayed release of the catch.

In carrying out the objects above stated, as well as such other objects as may subsequently appear, 1 employ the construction and combination of parts or their equivalents substantially as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which show, by Way of example, the pret'erred embodiment of the invention, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mechanism showing the parts in a normal retracted position.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the mechanism showing the parts as disposed in an advanced position in ejecting a cancap.

Figure 3 is a view in vertical section as seen on the line 33 of Figure 1 in the direction indicated by the arrows showing the mechanism for connecting the drive member to the driven member with the parts disposed in their normal retracted position.

Figure 4 is a detail horizontal section and plan View as seen on the line H of Fig ure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in horizontal section as seen on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a view in horizontal section as seen on the line 66 of Figure 8.

Figure 7 is a detail in. perspective of the drive member with parts broken away showing it as detached 'tromthe driven member.

Figure 8 is a detail section and .plan view as seen partly on the line 44 and partly on the line 66 of Figure 3 showing the parts at normal.

Figures 9 and 10 are views similar to Figure 8 showing the drive member in its intermediate and advanced positions re spectively relative to the driven member and showing the manner in which the driven member is maintained out of operative engagement with the drive member while the catch controlled trip means is engaged.

Figure 11 is a similar view showing the manner in which the drive member is advanced by the driven member on release of the catch controlled trip means.

Figure 12 is a view in horizontal section as seen on the line 12 12 of Figure 2.

More specifically, l5 and 16 indicate the driving and the driven members, each of which are here shown as embodying vertically extending shatts 17 and 18, respectively, arranged with the driven shatt located above the drive shatt in alinement therewith. The driven shaft 17 has'its lower end mounted to turn in a bearing 19 and projects upwardly therefrom. A collar 20 is rigidly aflixed to the shaft 17 and has a boss 21 formed thereon to which is pivotally connected one end of a link 22, the oppos e end of which link is pivotally attached to a crank 23 on a rotary drive shaft 24; the rotary drive shaft 24 being adapted to be retated continuously to effect a continuous oscillatory movement of the drive shaft 17,

normally independent of the driven shaft. I The driven shaft 18 is mounted in suitable bearings, not shown, and is fitted at its upper end with can-cap ejecting means, here illustrated as comprising a blade 25 adapted to separate the bottom can-cap 26 from a stack of can-caps 27 and which blade is mounted on a pusher arm 28 projecting horizontally from the shaft 18. The can-caps may be mounted in any suitable guides as is common in cap-feed devices. The shaft 18 is normally positioned to dispose the blade 25 and arm 28 clear of the can-cap stack, as shown in Figure 1, and is designed to be thrown in and out of engagement with the oscillatory drive shaft 17 and when connected to the latter to be advanced therewith to cause the blade and arm to eject a cancap, as shown in Figure 2.

The lower end of the driven shaft 18 is disposed adjacent to the upper end of the oscillatory drive shaft 17, as shown in Figure 3. and is fitted with a collar 29 which is rigidly secured to the shaft 18 and extends downwardly over the shaft 17 with its lower end spaced a short distance from the collar 20; a bushing 30 being rigidly mounted in the projecting end portion of the collar 29 and encircling the upper end portion of the shaft 17 and slightly spaced therefrom to permit'the shaft 17 to turn freely therein and without effecting frictional engagement therewith; The bushing is formed at its inner end and on one side thereof with a slot 31 and at its outer end and on the side opposite the slot 31 with a slot 32, the purpose of which slots will appear hereinafter.

The slotted bushing serves as a ready meansof forming recesses on the interior of the collar 29.

The oscillatory driving shaft 17 is formed with a vertically and longitudinally extending channel 33 normally opening adjacent the upper end of the shaft opposite the slot or recess 31 and extending downwardly to a point below the lower end of the collar 29, in which channel is arranged a pawl 34 pivoted on a pin 35, and the upper end of which pawl forms a key 36 which normally projects from the channel and extends into the recess, as particularly shown in Figures 3, 4, and 8. A spring 37 seating in a cavity 38 in the bottom of the channel 33 bears against the pawl 34 at a point above the pivot pin 35 and normally maintains the upper end of the pawl in an advanced position.

Loosely encircling the shaft 17 and eX- tending between the collars 20 and 29 is a sleeve 39 which is formed on its inner periphery with a cam recess 40 having an arcuate wall extending in continuation with the inner periphery of the sleeve. Slidably mounted in the shaft 17 at a point opposite the cam recess is a trip bar 41, the inner end of which extends into the channel 33 and bears against an arcuate face 42 formed on the lower end of the pawl 36. The outer end of the trip bar is formed with a segmental or arcuate cam-shoe 43 adapted to extend into the cam recess 40, and which is designed to be retracted into a transverse channel 44 on the shaft 17 when the shaft is turned relative to the sleeve 39, as shown in Figures 9 and 10. i

The sleeve 39 is provided on its outer periphery with a projection or pin 45 adapted to be engaged by a catch 46 by which the sleeve is normally maintained stationary. The catch 46 embodies an arm having a recess 47 adapted to extend astride of the pin 45, and which arm is here shown as rigidly mounted on a vertical rock shaft 48 and is designed to be normally positioned to engage the pin 45 by a spring 49, here shown as connected at one end to, a fixed support 50 and at its other end with a pin 51 projeeting from the shaft 48. The spring 49 serves to yieldably oppose rocking movement of the rock shaft 48 in one direction and to retract the rock shaft after it has been advanced and released, as will hereinafter be described.

Mounted on the shaft 48 is a wiper or shoe 52 which is designed to be disposed in the path of travel of a can body as the latter is fed to a can-capping mechanism by a suitable can advancing means, not necessary to be here shown.

In the operation of the invention, when the collar 20 is disposed in its retracted position, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 8, and the wiper shoe 52 is arranged in its advanced position in readiness to be engaged by a can body, the parts will be positioned relative to each other, as shown in Figures 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, that is, the sleeve 39 will be held against movement by the catch 46, the collar 20 and shaft 17 will be retracted, the camshoe 43 will be disposed in the cam recess 40, as shown in Figure 6, pawl 34 will extend into the recess 31 adjacent to one wall thereof, as shown in Figure 4, and the can-cap ejector blade 25 will be retracted, as shown in Figure 1.

On movement of the oscillatory shaft 17 on its forward stroke while'the sleeve 39 is held stationary, the cam-shoe 43 will be caused to ride out of the cam recess 40, as shown in Figure 9, thereby advancing the trip-bar 41 against the lower end of the pawl 34, so asto rock the latter in opposition to the spring 37 and withdraw the key 36 thereof from the recess 31 into a retracted position within the channel 33. The shaft 17 is lOf then free to turn without operating the shaft 18 so that the latter will remain stationary. The recess 31 is of such circumferential. length as to permit the key 36 being withdrawn therefrom on initial advanced movement of the shaft 17 and to permit the key being re-engaged with the recess at the termination of the retrograde movement.

hen it is desired to connect the driving to the driven member the sleeve 39 is released by disengaging the catch 46 which, in the operation of the can-capping machine is ordinarily effected by a can-body moving into contact with the wiper-shoe 52 and rocking the shaft 48 in opposition to spring 49 and thereby disengaging the catch 46 from the pin 45; the release of the catch being so timed'as to occur substantially at the moment when the shaft 17 reaches its retracted position. On release of the sleeve 39, an engagement will be effected between the sleeve and the shaft 17 by the cam-shoe 43 projecting into the cam recess under the pressure exerted by the spring 37 bearing on the pawl 34, which engagement is such that on advance of the shaft 17 the sleeve 39 will move therewith. The pawl 34 will then be maintained in its forward position with the key 36 projecting into the recess 31 and on movement of the shaft a distance equal to the space between the key 36 and the opposite end of the recess 31', the key will engage the end of the recess so that on continued movement of the shaft 17 to the termination of its advanced stroke the shaft 18 will be caused to move therewith to advance the can-cap ejector as before stated. The connections between the drive and driven members will then be arranged as shown in Figure 11; the catch 46'being disposed to reengage the pin 45 on return of the sleeve 39 to normal.

On retrograde movement of the shaft 17, the sleeve 39 will move forward therewith, but the shaft 18 will remain stationary until the key 36 has moved the length of the recess 31 to engage the other end wall thereof, whereupon the shaft 18 will be retracted with the shaft 17 and restored to normal at the termination of the retrograde stroke of shaft 17. If the catch 46 is then permitted to engage the pin 45, the collar will again be held stationary and the shaft 17 allowed to oscillate without actuating the shaft 18, but in event the catch 46 is again thrown out at the termination of the retrograde stroke of the shaft 17, connection will be effected between the shafts 17 and 18 as just described. From this it will be seen that during such time that the sleeve 39 is held stationary and the oscillatory shaft 17 operated, the shaft 18 will remain stationary in its retracted position, but on release of the sleeve 39 at the termination of the retrograde movement of the shaft 17 interconnection between the shafts 17 and 18 will be effected, so that the shaft 18 will be. moved forward and back with the shaft- 17, but with a slightly delayed movement at the termination of the stroke due to the length of the recess 31.

As release of the sleeve 39 might occur prematurely or be delayed so as not to occur coincident with the termination of the retrograde stroke of the shaft 17, means are provided for insuring against the sleeve being thrown out of its proper position, which means comprises a pin 53 mounted on the sleeve 39 and projecting upwardly into the recess or slot 32, as shown in Figures 3 and 5; and the operation of which is as follows:

Assuming the catch 46 to have been released prematurely, that is, while the shaft is returning on its retrograde stroke, and at a time when the cam-shoe was wholly out of the cam recess, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the cam-shoe ordinarily might then have such frictional engagement with the sleeve as to cause the latter to move with the shaft 17 and carry the pin 45 clear of the end of the latch, but such movement of the sleeve would be prevented by reason of the pin 53 abutting against the end wall 54 of the recess 32 as shown in Figure 5 so that the cam-shoe would continue to move into proper engagement with the cam recess. In event release of the latch should be delayed until the shaft 17 has moved sufliciently far on its advance stroke as to withdraw the cam-shoe from the cam recess as shown in Figures 9 and 10, the frictional engagement of the cam-shoe and the sleeve might operate to move the sleeve and throw the pin out of alinement with the recess 47 of the catch, but the movement of the sleeve would be limited by the pin 52 coming into contact with the end wall of the recess 32 opposite the end wall 54, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, so that the shaft 17 could continue moving to the end of its advance stroke without carrying the sleeve therewith, and on return movement of the shaft the cam-shoe would engage with the cam recess which would be in a slightly advanced position, and would then restore the sleeve to its normal position where it could be rei engaged by the catch. The recess 32 is elongated to provide sufficient space between the pin 53 and the end wall 55 that the sleeve 39 may turn with the shaft 17 when effecting connection between the shafts such distance that the key 36 may move the length of the recess 31.

As a means for frictionally opposing movement of the driven shaft 18 particularly for the purpose of holding the shaft against movement on impact of the pin with the end walls 54 and 55 of the slot 32, a brake band 56 is provided and is here shown as encircling a collar 57 adjacent the upper end of the shaft, and which brake band is held in place and is adapted to be adjusted by means of a threaded stem 58 affixed to the brake band and slidably extending through afixed wall 59 and engaged by a nut 60. By tightening the nut on the stem the brake band is caused to bear on the collar in such manner as to prevent free movement of the shaft 18 and insure its remaining in its proper position.

It will now be seen that the sleeve 29 While being free of the drive shaft it has a limited movement relative to the driven shaft so thatit will atall times have a fixedrelation to the catch and be prevented from being thrown out of an operative position.

We claim:

1.In a can-cap feeding mechanism, an oscillatory drive shaft, means for oscillating said shaft continuously, a normally stationary driven shaft aligned with said drive shaft, can controlled means for intermittently connecting the drive to the driven shaft, and can-top ejector means operable by said driven shaft. c

2. In can-cap feeding mechanism, an oscillatory drive shaft, means for oscillating said shaft continuously, a normally stationary driven shaft aligned. with said drive shaft, a key carried by said drive shaft engagable With said driven shaft, and means operable by movement of the drive shaft for moving said key in and out of engagement with the driven shaft. l

3. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, an oscillatory drive shaft, means for oscillating said shaft continuously, a normally stationary driven shaft, a key carried by said drive shaft engageable with said driven shaft, means operable by movement of the drive shaft for moving said key in and out of engagement with the driven shaft, and

can controlled means for maintaining the key in engagement with thedriven shaft throughout an oscillation of the drive shaft.

4. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, an oscillatory drive shaft, an alined rockable normally stationary driven shaft, a sleeve free on the drive shaft, means for normally holding said sleeve against movement, and means controlled by said sleeve for effecting positive engagement between said drive and driven shafts adapted to operate only on release of said sleeve.

5. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, an oscillatory drive shaft, an alined rockable normally stationary driven shaft, a sleeve free on the drive shaft and havinglimited movement relative to the driven shaft, means for normally holding said sleeve against movement, a pawl on the drive shaft normally engaged with the driven shaft, and means operable by'rotation of the drive shaft when the sleeve is stationary for disengaging the pawl from the driven shaft throughout an oscillation of the drive shaft.

6. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, an

oscillatory drive shaft, an alined rockable normally stationary driven shaft, a sleeve free on the drive shaft and having. limited movement relative to the driven shaft, means for normally holding said sleeve against movement, a pawl on the drive shaft normally engaged with the driven shaft, means operable by rotation of the drive shaft when the sleeve is stationary for disengaging the pawl from the driven shaft throughout an oscillation of the drive shaft, said means adaptedto maintain the pawl in engagement with the driven shaft thoughout an oscillation of the drive shaft on release of the sleeve. p

7. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, an oscillatory drive'shaft, an alined rockable normally stationary driven shaft, a sleeve free onthe drive shaft and having limited movement relative to the driven shaft, means for normally holding said sleeve against movement, a pawl on the drive'shaft normally engaged with the driven shaft, means operable by rotation of the drive shaft when the sleeve is stationary for disengaging the pawl from the driven shaft throughout an oscillation of the drive shaft, said means adapted to maintain the pawl in engagement with the driven .shaft throughout an oscillation of the drive shaft onrelease of the sleeve, said means comprising a trip bar slidable in the drive shaft, and arranged to rock the pawl, and a cam face on said sleeve for actuating said trip-bar. Y

8. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, a normally stationary ejector shaft, an oscillatory member, a pivoted key on said member, normally engaging said shaft, and means for rocking said key to retract it out of engagement with the shaft on forward movement of the oscillatory member, and means for rendering said last named means unoperative to maintain the key in engagementwith the shaft to transmit an oscillatory motion thereto.

9. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, an oscillatory shaft having a longitudinal channel therein, a normally stationary driven shaft, a collar on said driven shaft encircling the drive shaft having a slot therein, a pawl pivoted in the channel of the drive shaft, a spring acting on said pawl to normally maintain the outer endthereof in engagement with the slot in the collar, a slidable trip-bar mounted on the drive shaft bearing against the pawl and adapted on being advanced to rock the latter in oppositionto the spring, a sleeve loosely encircling the drive shaft having a. cam recess on its inner face, a cam-shoe on said trip-bar adapted to extend into said cam, and means for holding, said sleevestationary whereby on movement of the drive shaft the camshoe will ride out of the cam recess and cause the trip-bar to actuate the pawl so that the drive shaft may move independent of the driven shaft; said means being releasable from the sleeve When the cam-shoe is in the cam recess to permit the sleeve to move with the drive shaft and maintain the pawl in engagement With the slot on the collar to effect movement of the driven shaft with the drive shaft.

10. In a can-cap feeding mechanism, a normally stationary oscillatory can-cap ejector shaft, a revolvable main drive shaft means normally engaging said ejector shaft for oscillating same operable from said main drive shaft, and means for throwing out said engaging means to maintain the ejector shaft stationary adapted to be actuated to permit the engaging means to effect an oscillation of the ejector shaft.

RAY O. WVILSON. ARTHUR D. SUMNER. 

